Strategy, Identity & Modern Marketing with Ashley Konson

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Careers, like brands, are rarely built in straight lines. They are shaped by context, experience, values and the choices we make when circumstances change. In today’s fast moving digital-first world, branding is no longer a simple marketing function. It is a strategic tool that shapes how businesses grow and how people are perceived.

In this episode of 6ixCast, host Waruna Kulawansha speaks with Ashley Konson, an award-winning marketing educator, global brand expert and Associate Professor at the Schulich School of Business. Drawing on decades of experience across industries and continents, Ashley shares why your brand is your business, even if you’re leading a global company, building a startup or shaping your own career.

This conversation blends personal history with practical insight, offering a clear lens on branding, leadership and long-term relevance in an age shaped by digital platforms and AI.

How Experience Shapes Perspective

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Ashley’s journey to Canada began in 1989, when he arrived as an immigrant after growing up in Southern Africa during a period of political instability and conflict.

As he recalls simply:

“We landed in Canada as immigrants.”

Those early experiences, combined with military service and later academic study, shaped how he views leadership, humanity and responsibility. And instead of separating personal history from professional life, Ashley sees them as deeply connected. The values formed through experience influence how leaders behave, how brands are built and how trust is earned.

This perspective feels especially relevant in Canada, where many professionals bring global backgrounds into multicultural workplaces. Ashley’s story reflects a broader truth: context matters.

Why Marketing Is About Understanding Context

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Ashley’s professional career spans senior roles at some of the world’s most recognized organizations, including Nestlé, The Walt Disney Company, IMAX and Holt Renfrew.

His entry into marketing itself came from a moment of clarity at university, when a simple definition reshaped his direction:

“Marketing is a consumer orientation with a profit motivation.”

That idea stayed with him throughout his career. Across industries, he learned that while frameworks and strategies can travel, success depends on understanding the environment you’re operating in. Branding is not about applying one formula everywhere; it’s about reading context, understanding people and making deliberate choices.

Brand as Strategy, Not Just Marketing

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One of the strongest themes in the episode is Ashley’s insistence that brand management is a strategic function. It’s not a simple communications task.

He puts it plainly:

“Your brand is your business.”

A brand, in Ashley’s view, is the set of associations people hold about you or your organization. Those associations are built over time, through consistency between what you say and what you do. For businesses, the brand should guide the strategy. For individuals, the same logic applies.

Even if intentional or not, everyone has a brand. The question is whether you are actively shaping it.

Personal Branding vs. Self-Promotion

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Personal branding is mostly misunderstood as visibility for visibility’s sake. Ashley takes a more grounded view. For him, personal branding begins with purpose and values.

He speaks about writing down his own personal brand, much like a brand strategy, and reviewing it every year to stay accountable. He also encourages people to think carefully about what kind of recognition they actually want.

Not everyone needs global visibility. What matters is being known and trusted within the community you want to serve. This idea resonates strongly in Canadian professional culture, where credibility and consistency often matter more than loud self-promotion.

Why Brand Matters More in a Digital and AI-Driven World

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Ashley challenges the idea that brand matters less in a world dominated by performance marketing, platforms and AI. In reality, he argues, brand matters more than ever.

In digital environments, people increasingly start their search with brand names they already know. If your brand doesn’t come to mind, you’re left competing on algorithms, price or convenience alone.

As Ashley explains:

“If potential buyers don’t start their search with your brand name, you are at the mercy of algorithms.”

Brand creates familiarity and trust, which digital systems tend to reward. In an AI-influenced landscape, this mental availability becomes a critical growth advantage. It’s not a ‘nice to have’.

Teaching, Coaching and Lifelong Learning

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Ashley’s decision to leave the corporate world and move into teaching was a deliberate one. Reflecting on that transition, he is clear:

“It was the very best decision I made in my career.”

Teaching, for him, is not about delivering static knowledge. It is about staying engaged, learning continuously and exchanging ideas with students who bring new contexts and challenges into the room.

As he puts it:

“Teaching so that I could learn was one of the reasons I went back into the classroom.”

Lifelong learning sits at the centre of his philosophy. In a world where industries evolve quickly, staying curious is not optional; it is essential.

Humanity, Values and Leadership

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Underlying every part of the conversation is a strong emphasis on humanity. Ashley speaks openly about how past trauma and leadership under pressure shaped his values.

Respect, empathy and fairness are not abstract ideas for him. They guide how he teaches, coaches and works with others. Strong brands, personal or organizational, are built not only on performance but on trust.

As Ashley reminds us:

“Knowledge is valuable when it’s shared, not when it’s kept to yourself.”

Brand, Growth and Long-Term Thinking

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Ashley also addresses the tension between short-term performance and long-term brand building. While performance marketing has its place, relying on it alone risks undermining future growth.

Brand building creates familiarity and trust. This makes future sales easier and more efficient. Without it, businesses risk chasing short-term results at the expense of long-term value.

He offers a clear warning:

“If you put all your eggs in one basket, you destroy the future value of your business.”

The same logic applies to careers. Reputation, consistency and clarity compound over time.

Purpose Over Perfection

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As the episode draws to a close, Ashley reflects on the future with honesty rather than certainty. Instead of setting rigid end goals, he focuses on whether he still has the energy and purpose to contribute meaningfully.

As he says:

“If I wake up one day and I don’t have the fire anymore, then I’ll know it’s time.”

That reflection ties the entire conversation together. Whether discussing branding, leadership, or personal growth, the message remains the same: intention matters.

Building Brands & Careers that Last

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This episode of 6ixCast is not just about branding. It’s about identity, strategy and staying relevant in a world shaped by constant change.

Through his experiences as an immigrant, executive, educator and advisor, Ashley Konson reminds us that strong brands, personal or corporate, are built through consistency, values and a deep understanding of context.

To explore these ideas further, learn how to build a global career with Maria Shibaeva-Escarraga in a 6ixCast episode that looks at strategy, identity and communication in a global context.

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Watch the full 6ixCast episode to hear Ashley’s insights in his own words.

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